SPRINGFIELD — On the day of Abraham Lincoln’s 204th birthday, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation and AT&T officially launched the Abe App for smartphones.

The recent release of the movie “Lincoln” has increased the public’s interest of the 16th President of the United States, said Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation Director of Membership & Annual Giving Phyllis Evans.

“The demand for information on Lincoln and his times continues to grow with each passing day through the production of a new movie or video or the writing of articles and books,” said Evans. “In an effort to meet those demands in a way that was easily accessible to the widest audience possible, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation turned to an app to take advantage of today’s latest technology, allowing us to achieve that goal in a fun, interesting and enlightening way.”

The ALPLF, AT&T and a private foundation financed the creation of the smartphone application.

“The sponsorship of the app was a joint venture between the ALPLF and a generous donation from a private foundation that wishes to remain anonymous,” said Evans. “We also received in-kind support from the software development company EDA-SOFT. AT&T is a long-standing friend of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum and ALPLF, supporting us in many programs and projects. Their expertise in global technology makes them the perfect partner in which to launch the app and we are pleased to work with them on this project.”

The application features daily Lincoln facts and quizzes, and provides a photo tour of the museum with added sound effects like Lincoln’s office clock and dinner bell. Users can access the museum’s gift shop website, donate $5 to the museum and receive an electronic issue of the foundation’s magazine through the app.

“There are six facets to the app: Facts of the Day; Abe Quiz; Contact Information; Museum in Pictures; Museum Gift Shop; and High $5 Abe Club,” said Evans. “One of the most unique components is the app’s use of authentic sounds associated from within our Lincoln Collection. The law office clock can be heard ticking as you contemplate your answer in the Abe Quiz. A wrong answer gives you the clock gong and the right answer produces the dinner bell chime. Mary’s music box can be heard in the background of the virtual tour. The fun facts of the day give insight to many little known facts, both vivid and personal about this complex, yet simple man, allowing the user to examine every aspect of Lincoln’s life from his boyhood to presidency.”

The app can also be used as an educational tool for teachers, said Evans.

“The Abe App provides 100 of Lincoln quotes and facts derived from our historians, as well as from papers and documents from within our collection and scholarly books,” said Evans. “The student or user can interact with screens by quizzing themselves on the daily facts, plus they can get a virtual tour of the museum, which is something no other app can provide.”

The ALPLF plans to update the app and expand its content in the future.

“We do see tremendous potential for the app to grow and develop,” said Evans. “We hope to eventually make the app available on more technology platforms and possibly to translate it into different languages since there has been great global interest in the app.”

The app already has been downloaded by users as far away as China, Russia and Romania. It is available for free for iPhone, iPad and Android devices, and can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/AbeApple and http://bit.ly/AbeDroid.